Inventory and Cost of Goods Sold COGS: Valuation, Accounting, and Strategic Implications
So I don’t know the exact cost of the ones I’m not finished with yet. Ending inventory is the value of your company’s inventory that has not been sold by the end of the year. The value is the purchase price or manufacturing cost, not the sale price.
Many IMS solutions, including HubiFi’s integrations, connect seamlessly with accounting software, further enhancing efficiency and accuracy. This integration creates a streamlined, automated workflow that reduces manual data entry and ensures your financial information is always up-to-date. A cost of goods sold (COGS) journal entry tracks the expenses tied to the products you sell.
To solve these problems, accountants often use the gross profit method for estimating the cost of a company’s ending inventory. When an inventory item is sold, the item’s cost is removed from inventory and the cost is reported on the company’s income statement as the cost of goods sold. Cost of goods sold is likely the largest expense reported on the income statement. When the cost of goods sold is subtracted from sales, the remainder is the company’s gross profit.
COGS plays a starring role on your income statement, directly impacting your company’s profitability. It’s a major factor in calculating your gross profit—the difference between your revenue and COGS. A higher COGS will lower your gross profit, while a lower COGS will increase it. This gross profit figure is then used to calculate your net income, the bottom line that shows your overall profit after all expenses are deducted. Accurate COGS reporting is essential for a clear picture of your profits and overall financial health.
In addition, the cost of goods sold calculation must factor in the ending inventory balance. If there is a physical inventory count that does not match the book balance of the ending inventory, then the difference must be charged to the cost of goods sold. Generally speaking, only the labour costs directly involved in the manufacture of the product are included.
Inventory is a particularly important component of COGS, and accounting rules permit several different approaches for how to include it in the calculation. At Irvine Bookkeeping, we understand the complexities of managing inventory and calculating Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) can be overwhelming for businesses. These are critical areas that directly affect your profitability and financial health. Our team of specialists is equipped to offer comprehensive bookkeeping, accounting, and tax services tailored to address these challenges. Whether it’s optimizing your inventory management to improve cash flow or accurately reporting COGS for tax purposes, we’re here to provide expert advice and solutions. Let us help you streamline your financial operations, so you can focus on growing your business.
If the business now moves into its next accounting period, it has beginning inventory of 2,000 (last months ending inventory). This time the goods available for sale are the purchases plus the beginning inventory, and as before, the cost of the goods not sold is the ending inventory. The revenue generated by a business minus its COGS is equal to its gross profit. Higher COGS with disproportionate pricing can leave your business in a deficit position if the prices are too low or alienate consumers if the price is too high. There are several impacts of inventory on the cost of goods sold including Purchase and production cost of inventory plays an important role in recognizing gross profit for the period.
This comparison will give him the selling margin for each product, so Shane can analyze which products he is paying too much for and which products he is making the most money on. The basic purpose of finding COGS is to calculate the “true cost” of merchandise sold in the period. It doesn’t reflect the cost of goods that are purchased in inventory and cost of goods sold the period and not being sold or just kept in inventory.
By tracking COGS for each product, you can identify your most and least profitable items. This information helps you make data-driven decisions about which products to stock up on, which ones to phase out, and which ones might need a price adjustment. For instance, if you notice a product has a high COGS and low sales volume, you might consider discontinuing it or finding ways to reduce its production costs. Accurate COGS tracking is essential for understanding profitability and making informed decisions about your inventory. In theory, COGS should include the cost of all inventory that was sold during the accounting period.
Our retail inventory method tutorial provides further detail on the application and use of this method. Now that we have understood the calculation of COGS, let’s take a look at its importance in business. Let us take an example of a retailer who just sells 1 product for the connection between Inventory and Cost of Goods Sold. The COGS percentage (or COGS-to-Sales Ratio) measures the proportion of revenue spent on goods sold. Write-downs reduce both inventory and net income and must be disclosed. Under IFRS, reversals of write-downs are allowed if NRV subsequently increases; GAAP prohibits reversals.
The choice of accounting method impacts financial reporting, tax liabilities, and the valuation of inventory on the balance sheet. Different industries and business strategies may lead to the selection of one method over another. The list may also include commission expense, since this cost usually varies with sales. The cost of goods sold does not include any administrative or selling expenses.